Skippers have learned through training and experience how to navigate complex situations. However, there are still locations and situations on the Maas that require extra attention, especially during increased discharges, such as near the Limmel lock and when entering harbors.
Rijkswaterstaat Zuid Nederland is working with industry associations and shippers to see what can be improved in the short term.
Safety First
The parties consider safety on and around the waterways to be of great importance. In the past, measures have been taken for certain bottlenecks to make the waterways safer, but more measures are needed.
This is especially true during higher discharges, as this can lead to strong currents and changed navigation conditions.
Challenges for Skippers During Higher Discharges
Weirs in the river are known risk locations. There is often a strong and dangerous current at weirs due to the height difference across the weir. The area around Stuw Borgharen, along with the Limmel lock, has some peculiarities. For example, the weir is close to the fairway in the Maas leading to the Julianakanaal: this creates a strong side current on the fairway.
This becomes significantly stronger at discharges above 800 m3/s. Skippers then have to move from a fast-flowing Maas with a side current to the Julianakanaal with nearly stagnant water. There is little room and time for skippers to correct if necessary.
During high discharges, the weirs on the Maas are lowered, causing the river to become unregulated and the flow speed to increase. This also makes entering harbors directly on the Maas more difficult. Additionally, entering the approach channels towards the locks can become more complex.
The knowledge and experience with these more challenging conditions may not be sufficiently present among all skippers and shippers. Besides parties who are well aware of the effects, there are also skippers who do not sail the Maas often.
Measures Taken
In the past, we have already taken several measures. For example, in 2005 buoy lines were installed upstream of all weirs. These serve as a warning. Additional markings have also been added at the weirs indicating the correct navigation route, and the information on digital navigation charts has been improved.
At Stuw Borgharen, signs indicate in 4 languages that a dangerous cross-current is present here. Above 500 m3/s they flash orange to increase awareness.
South Maas Valley Project
Apart from the issue with the current at the entrance of the Julianakanaal, extra space is needed on the route where oncoming ships can pass each other safely. In the BO-MIRT at the end of 2024, it was decided to demolish the railway bridge in Maastricht for this purpose.
Further elaboration of measures for the safe admission of larger and deeper ships is also included in the South Maas Valley project.
New Short-term Measures
To reduce the risk in the short term, the various parties are looking at possibilities. Such as increasing the knowledge and awareness of skippers, but also the shippers.
Ideas being considered include a warning within the digital navigation charts from a certain discharge, or providing a flyer with information to the skipper when they receive the loading documents.
Evofenedex
Ricky Voorn, inland navigation policy advisor at evofenedex, says, At evofenedex, safety always comes first. Skippers and shippers have a joint task to make inland navigation as safe as possible. Besides wanting to prevent physical and material damage, potential accidents can cause blockages.
No one benefits from that, and it does not help the image of inland navigation. Together we must ensure that no accidents occur and that we learn from near misses, so that this does not go wrong in the future. In terms of (preventing) accidents, the inland navigation sector must also be reliable.
KBN
Leny van Toorenburg of Koninklijke Binnenvaart Nederland (KBN) emphasizes the importance of good information: Safety is a great asset! In inland navigation, we deal with skippers from all corners: some know the Maas like the back of their hand, but others are new here or only come sporadically.
It is important that everyone can safely handle the challenging conditions, regardless of their experience. That is why knowledge sharing and practical support are so important.